


And I was afraid, but a gentle someone always came

by tied_up_like_two_ships



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Age Play, Baby Harry, Corporal Punishment, Daddy Liam, Daddy Louis, Daddy Niall, Daddy Zayn, Diapers, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, Infantilism, Kid Zayn, Spanking, bed wetting, but whatever it's still age play, kind of more kid harry than baby harry tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-22
Updated: 2014-02-08
Packaged: 2018-01-09 15:28:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1147620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tied_up_like_two_ships/pseuds/tied_up_like_two_ships
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry is the baby. The rest of One Direction are his daddies. Eventual toddler Zayn, but that isn't until way later.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at ageplay. Do not be upset if it sucks butt.
> 
> Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. I make no money. One Direction is made up of five sexy amazing boys that I write fics about and feel guilty for doing so (not really, though, I love it too much).

Louis didn't know why he woke up but he wasn't happy about it when he saw the clock—he had two more hours of sleep he probably wasn't going to get. And sleep to him was precious.

He groaned listening to the sleeping sound of Zayn and Liam who were both snuggled to him, jealous that they were still in their dreams. Niall would've been here, too, cuddled close as possible, if he wasn't ill. The poor Irishman had gotten a bad cold and he didn't want to infest them so he slept in the guest room tonight.

And Harry… Harry hadn't slept with them in a few days, taking his baby room that had a bed in it instead. They didn't know why, but Louis knew it had something to do with all of the naughty things he'd done.

In the past three days, he had knocked over his milk at dinner almost each night, refusing to drink it. And he refused to take a bath yesterday night after he spilt it all over his self. When it was nap time, he wouldn't go to sleep even when he was worn out. There were a few rules broken, too, and he ended up being put in the naughty corner—he was put there probably 10 times these past few days.

All of his daddies were disappointed in him. They told him so when they talked, as they did after each session in the corner, but he just said he was really sorry and then started up again later.

Niall said it was acting out. Liam agreed with him. Zayn, however, sided with Louis in saying it was more than that.

Louis didn't want to think about all that right now, though.

Now that he was up, he thought, he'd make some food and tea. But it was difficult getting out of bed with the surrounding bodies; still, Louis was used to it after a while, and he found an opening he slid from. Once he was up, he ventured out of the bedroom into the long hallway to get to the kitchen.

They were on a sort of break right now, and for it Louis found a little temporary home with Zayn. They had searched for a while and this place seemed out there enough that most fans wouldn't bother them. The small house wasn't much lived in and it didn't seem a place a famous boy band would stay in, and that was why it was perfect for their family. The town was a quiet town, but the actual city, with markets and restaurants and such, was a few miles away.

He passed Harry's room, and then Niall's which was on the other side at the end of the hall. He decided to check on the sick ridden before making tea.

When he opened the door, it immediately smelt of sick. The room was stuffy and warm from the heater, and with the warmth came a sort of twitchy feeling, like he wanted to shake off invisible bugs.

Niall was asleep on his little twin bed, curled up and groaning in his slumber. Louis leaned over him with a smile, fond and caring, and swept back some sweaty hair from the slightly cooler forehead. He was burning up before, but it seemed he would be okay by later today.

Niall, even in his sleep, pushed up into his hand, always craving the touch of his bandmates. For a moment it looked like the blonde was going to wake up so Louis quickly shushed him and left the room before that could happen. Niall needed his sleep most of all right now.

As he was shutting the door, there was a rustling sound behind him. Frowning, Louis turned to see Harry's door was open, when a minute before it was shut.

"Harry?" he whispered.

There was no reply. He was about to go inside the baby room when there was a creaking sound from the bathroom to the left of Niall's room. He snuck quietly, stealthy as a ninja, to push the door open further and peek inside.

Harry was in the bathroom, which also held a little laundry room. His hair was a mess and obviously he just got up. In his hands were a pile clothes, and he was totally nude. From here Louis could smell the stench of urine.

"Harry, what are you doing?" he asked, opening the door fully, crossing his arms.

The clothes were dropped in shock and made a splattering, wet sound that had him jumping. Harry turned to him and just stared. He seemed frightened. His lips and his knees, basically his entire body was trembling, in fright.

Louis walked in all the way and shut the door. He wasn't angry, only worried. "Harry. What's wrong, baby?"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I didn't—" And then Harry's eyes started to water.

Louis shushed him and opened his arms. "Come here, love." He gestured with his hands for Harry to come forward into his arms for comfort, but the boy shook his head.

"All w-wet. A-and naked."

Louis sighed. Licking his lips, he prepared to ask the question that was on his mind. "Harry… did you wet the bed?"

Harry nodded slowly, eyes downcast and embarrassment written all over his face. He sniffed, as if ready to cry.

"Hey, love, it's all okay. Was this the first time?"

Some hesitation, and then a head shake, meaning 'no'. That's when the tears were falling freely, and Harry's body was really shaking like there was an earth quake. He looked up, green eyes beautifully sad with shine from his tears, and started sobbing "Daddy, I'm sorry" over and over.

Louis gave him a small smile, hoping to calm him a bit with it, and held out his arms once more. "It's alright. Come here, I don't care if you're wet. Or naked."

Harry's rushed into Louis's arms. His face shoved into Louis's neck, warm and soaked with tears, his whole body curled up to hold him tight and his hands fisted in the back of Louis's t-shirt. Louis put his hands gently on his back to rub it up and down, avoiding anything lower just in case.

Harry was probably terrified of punishment. But there was no way Louis would punish Harry for something that was an accident.

Now all of his acting out made sense. He didn't sleep with them because of this. He didn't want his milk because he was trying not to wet the bed, and he didn't take his daytime naps because he didn't want his daddies finding out he wet. And when Harry didn't have his naps he was trouble.

Harry, who cried desperately into his shoulder, was a big warm weight, smelling of pee and sadness. "Lou, I'm sorry, I'm sorry—"

"Calm down. Take a deep breath."

After his boy was calmed and his hitched breathing stopped, only a few little tremors or sobs escaping him, he gently patted his back and rubbed soothing circles into the soft skin. "All right, good. Harry, I want you to show me, okay?"

"S-show you?"

"Your room." He turned them around, looking back at the wet clothes on the tile floor, and told himself to leave them, because Harry needed him and that could be cleaned up later.

The room gave off a stench of urine that was even stronger. And Harry's bed had a big wet stain where the covers were pushed off. Louis bet that it went straight to the mattress, if it had happened as long as it did.

Louis held Harry tight to his side and shushed him when he started up crying again. "Don't cry, love. It's all right. Accidents happen. You're not in trouble."

"I'm—not?" Harry asked confusedly.

Louis smiled. "Of course not." He saw Harry was still shaken up, so after wrapping up Harry with a blanket, he patted his cheek sweetly. "Now, this is what I want you to do, okay? Go wake up daddies Liam and Zayn, and tell them what happened. Ask for a bath, too, okay?"

"Okay," Harry murmured. He turned to leave, leaving Louis to deal with cleaning up this mess.

He sighed, and got to work on the sheets first.

Harry walked into the room quiet as a mouse to see his two daddies sleeping, cuddled close. Zayn's head pressed in Liam's neck, practically drooling while he snored softly. Liam, who lay flat on his back with his legs spread, had his arm around Zayn to gently rest on his side above the blanket.

Harry padded in closer, standing right next to Zayn's side of the big bed. "Daddies?" he murmured, reaching across the big empty bed, shaking Zayn's arm under the blanket.

Zayn groaned, awakening. He would always wake to the sound of Harry's voice. It was just an instinct that came with time. He kept his head nestled on Liam, not hearing any crying or sobbing to indicate this as an emergency, but turned it to ask, "What is it, babe?"

"Lou said to wake you up," Harry said, voice soft.

Zayn hummed. "Yeah?"

"I—had an accident."

He shot up fast and looked over at Harry. Seeing him with just a blanket over his body had him concerned, and then he noticed his face was wet, clearly the lines of wetness were from tears. Then there was the strong smell that came off him Zayn could only place as being piss.

Liam had woken from the jarring of his arm. He was sitting up beside Zayn, and looked over at Harry curiously. He was tired and groggy, wiping his eyes and yawning. Liam took a while to get out of his sleep funk. "Harry? What're you doing out of bed? It's only—" he looked to the clock "—7:30."

"Liam," Zayn began slowly, knowing Liam was a bit slow himself when he just got up, "Harry had an accident."

Liam frowned. He looked over Harry again, trying to spot blood or something life-threatening. "Are you hurt, baby? C'm 'ere, yeah?" He motioned with his hands for Harry to climb on the bed so he could check him over.

Harry didn't move. He shifted from foot to foot, gripping the long blanket around his shoulders, and opened his mouth. "I—I w-wet the bed," he whispered.

Liam and Zayn heard him clearly. They looked at each other in shock but quickly converted that to concern and got up from the bed, both wearing boxers and a T, to make a Harry sandwich. They kissed his head and rubbed his back, knowing Harry needed it. The poor boy was trembling like he was thrown into an icy river.

"Daddy Lou said to make a bath," Harry muttered, his face pressed into Liam's shirt.

Liam nodded, petting his hair. "Good idea."

Zayn and Liam practically carried Harry to their master bathroom. Liam sat Harry on the toilet with a towel beneath him, because he was clothes less and dry urine was on his skin, while Zayn ran the water, putting in some bubbles from a bottle under the sink. Just as the water was done rising in the tub, Louis came in. "Hey. Morning," he greeted with a smile.

"Morning Lou."

"G'morning, Louis."

Zayn took Harry's blanket from him and set it down on the sink, lifting him up by his waist to set him in the tub gently, and then getting on his knees in front of the tub so he could help wash him. Harry hissed at the hot water touching his skin, but then he just lay in the water, completely still, and looked up at the three of them. He was a mess, from his upset expression to his wet face, and his long body was weary. It made all of them cringe internally that their baby boy was like this.

"Didn't mean to," Harry suddenly mumbled.

Louis knelt down beside Zayn, who was shuffling through a bag, probably for toys or a cloth, and he ran his fingers through Harry's hair sweetly, smiling just as sweet to make sure Harry knew he was okay. "We know you didn't. Of course you didn't."

Liam stood behind him, a hand on his shoulder. "It was an accident, Harry. They happen all the time."

"Lou-Lou said 'm not in trouble," Harry mumbled. "'m not, am I?"

"I said you weren't, Harry," Louis said.

Zayn laughed. He knew what Harry was getting at. He pulled a bright green sponge from the bag along with a washcloth, and dunked them both in the water before saying, "As many times as Lou lets you get away with things when you are bad, this isn't one of those times." He smiled at Harry. "You're not in trouble, love."

"See?" Louis said with a grin. "Told ya."

Harry cracked a smile. And that's all Louis wanted, and all Zayn wanted, all Liam wanted, and they were so happy to see Harry's sad pout gone, because it hurt the most seeing their baby upset.

When his bath was done and Harry was clean, they sent him to his room to get dressed for the day, telling him he could even go in the kitchen and get a few chocolate chip cookies. But even with the invitation to eat the cookies, Harry didn't go; he just bit at his lip, looking at them through his lashes. So shy and adorable.

Louis knew what was wrong. Harry's room was smelly and he didn't want to go into it. "I cleaned it for you, baby, so you can go in." And Harry went off to change from his towel into actual clothes.

They sat on the bed after the door shut behind Harry, two of them sighing, all of them just downcast.

"What're we gonna do?" Liam asked. He leaned his self against Zayn's side.

"I don't know," Louis said, and that was awful, because he out of all of them was a planner, and idea man. "Let's wake Niall. He needs to know, too, and you know he'll be pissed if he isn't told."

Liam shook his head. "He's ill. Let him rest."

"His fever was down when I checked on him an hour ago."

Liam looked like he was going to object. But he looked towards the bathroom, thinking of Harry, and nodded, getting up from the bed to get him his self.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When it comes to the diapers thing I really only know what I've read online, so don't hurt me if it's weird, and not good weird but legitimately weird.  
> Enjoy the chapter! :)

The solution of what to do about Harry came quickly, thanks to Zayn. “We go back to diapers.”

While Liam was on board with it, sure it was the best possible solution, though no others had been made he couldn’t see anything topping that, Niall and Louis were not, and they shook their heads adamantly.

“No,” said Niall. “That isn'ta good idea. Harry isn't a baby.”

Louis agreed. “Absolutely not. Harry’s grown from his baby stage. I mean, yeah, we’ve got all that stuff in his room still, but he isn't a baby. He’s our baby, but not a baby. So no. No diapers.”

Liam frowned. “Louis—”

“Lou’s right, Liam,” Niall said. “Plus, Harry won’t like it.”

Zayn grunted. He pushed his messy hair from his face. “It doesn’t matter what he likes, and you know that,” he said sternly. Niall flinched at his tone, Louis hugging him tight. “We take care of Harry in whatever way is necessary. If he has a problem, we should help him.”

Liam nodded along. “We do what we have to do to help him. I think diapers are the only way. I mean, a lot of kids and even adults wear them, so…considering Harry’s our kid…” He smiled at Zayn, who smiled back. “It makes sense.”

That was enough to change Niall and Louis’s mind. Zayn volunteered to go get them, and a few other things that were needed.

They all got up to get dressed, and while Zayn did his hair the other three went to see Harry and how he was doing. He was sitting on the sofa in sweats and a long sleeve shirt, eating a cookie, the crumbs all over his lap, snuggled up with his big bunny. The TV was on cartoons. He seemed happy, so they were happy. “Hi,” he said softly and sweetly when he noticed them watching him.

Niall hugged him at once. Harry squeaked in surprise when he was attacked but laughed into it, squirming and shoving at the blonde. “Daddy Ni, lemme go!”

“Never!” Niall growled playfully, mostly back to his normal self. He seemed a bit better now, his motions weren’t sluggish and his face had natural color to it. Liam guessed he sweat it all out in the night.

Liam and Louis went to the kitchen to make breakfast, leaving Niall to pester Harry. Soon enough they were all sitting down eating, and Zayn came out, ready to leave.

“Where you going?” Harry asked through a bite of eggs.

Zayn kissed his forehead. “Don’t talk with your mouth full. I’ll be back soon. Just going to the store for a few things.”

Harry nodded. He accepted his answer of where he was going, and went back to eating his breakfast.

Zayn gave a look to each of them before he left. It was anticipatory, and fearfully so. None of them knew what would happen when they were to tell Harry he was going back to diapers, and all they wanted was for it to go smoothly, for Harry to accept it and understand. But with or without a fight it would happen. When they decided on something, it was happening, and that was that.

___+___

Surprisingly, telling him went well.

Zayn had gotten all the essentials. Two bags of disposable diapers, the big kind because they all knew how well-endowed Harry was. He had some rash cream, a box of wipes, and two colorful pacifiers. They were shoved in paper bags. He showed them to the others in their bedroom.

“I think that’s all we need?” Niall asked. “I can’t remember since it’s been months since Harry was in them.”

“If it isn't, we can just go back,” Zayn said, and shrugged.

“Right then,” Louis said. “Let's go tell Harry; hopefully he isn't a brat about it.”

There was clear confusion in Harry when all four of them surrounded him on the couch, Niall and Zayn kneeling in front of him and Louis and Liam siting on either side of him. Then came the face of apologies, and he kept saying he was sorry for wetting. Thankfully he wasn’t crying—he probably cried himself out of stock earlier.

“Oh, love, we told you it’s okay,” Louis said, kissing his cheek. “It was an accident.”

Niall and Zayn caressed his knees and thighs slowly, nodding with what Louis said.

Liam put his arm around his shoulders, Louis copying him but with Harry’s waist, fingers playing over Harry’s stomach. “Don’t worry, baby,” Liam said, “we’ve got you all taken care of.” He looked to Zayn and gestured to bring something forward, and he did. It was the bag of nappies. “See? You're gonna wear these, okay?”

Harry frowned at the pack. “But…I'm a big boy now, right?”

“You are,” Liam said. “But sometimes big boys need these, too.”

Harry frowned deeper, brows low and lip pursed. “Was I bad?” he asked tentatively. “I said sorry.”

“No, love, no,” Louis said, combing his fingers through Harry’s hair. “You weren’t bad at all.”

“You need to listen to your dads, though, yeah?” Niall said. “Good boys listen to their dads.”

Harry nodded slowly. “Okay,” he mumbled, cheeks flushed.

Niall smiled and patted his thigh. He was glad Harry was agreeing to this, because he wasn’t feeling up to having a tantrum to deal with. He did feel better but he still had some aches here and there.

Zayn lifted up one pack of the nappies. “This one is for daytime.” He lifted the other pack. “And this is for nighttime.”

“Now, Harry, you're only to go number one in these,” Liam said gently. “If you need to go number two you have to ask us, okay?”

The redness on his face increased. He shoved his face into Louis’s neck, burning with embarrassment. “Okay, daddy.”

It was decided unanimously that Louis would be the first one to put a diaper on Harry, because he was the one Harry would feel safest with, next to Liam, who was ironically called daddy direction. And it wasn’t to assume that Harry didn’t feel safe with all of them. He did, and he had told them he liked having all of them with him and that made him the happiest. It was just that Louis and Harry had a closer bond with each other. The other three understood and weren’t hurt by the fact, not when it came down to Harry’s comfort.

Zayn stood and opened the pack to set one on the floor. He also grabbed a thick blanket from the back of the couch to lay it on the floor.

They all thought it would be best to have Harry to be changed out here first instead of on the changing table that was still in Harry’s bedroom, so it wouldn’t be too much at once for the poor embarrassed boy.

Louis got up and knelt in front of the blanket, ready for Harry. He smiled up at him when he saw the nervousness in his wide eyes, and then he motioned for Liam to bring him down.

Liam lifted Harry up, arms under his butt and at his back, the boy fussing a bit at the handling. “Lou’s gonna put one on you first, all right, love?” he said, laying Harry on his back on the soft blanket.

Niall grabbed a pillow to place beneath Harry’s head as soon as he was down, kissing his temple with a big wet smack, causing him to giggle wildly.

Liam and Niall and Zayn left the two of them, heading to the dining room. A wall blocked their view so Harry wasn’t more self-conscious.

“Let’s get you out of these sweats,” Louis said. He pulled at the waistband of his pants and after telling Harry to lift his hips they were off, and he folded them up and set them aside. Then Harry was in his undies, and he looked really unhappy about it, laid out in front of Louis like this, knowing what was to come. Louis did it quick, yanking them down and off, doing the same as he did with his sweats and folding them up.

“There,” he said, patting Harry’s tummy. “Don’t be embarrassed, yeah? It’s nothing I’ve not seen before, Harry.” And with a band of five growing boys, it wasn’t. He’d done this before with Harry, too, when he was in his ‘baby stage’.

Sliding the diaper underneath his naked bum, Louis got out of the bag the cream to prevent a rash—Harry had gotten one before, the poor thing, and Zayn felt especially bad about it, as he was the one to cause it. In his defense it was early morning after a long concert, but he still felt guilty.

Carefully and gently he rubbed in the cream where it was needed. Harry started to wiggle a bit, and Louis was shocked to see he was biting at his thumb. He quickly smacked it away, and Harry whined. “No, Harry, you know better than that. Here,” he said, grabbing a big lime green binky from the bag, “you can have this.” He stuck it between Harry’s lips, and thought the boy would spit it out but he just started so suck at it.

Louis smiled and went back to putting the diaper on Harry. He snapped it together and smiled. Harry looked less nervous and more content now, and less red in the face when his pants were back on. “There, all finished. Now what do you say about playing a game, hm?”

_+_+_

The day went by slow, but a good type of slow, with the five of them spending time together, playing video games and eating snacks and just being rowdy and weird. There was hide and seek with Harry, who had snuck out into the back yard and got a few minutes in the naughty corner for doing that without permission, but aside from that the day was smooth and easy.

Dinner was nearly cooked, thanks to Zayn and no thanks to Louis who tried but failed to help and almost burned the food. Both of them were outside, Zayn having a smoke before they ate and Louis keeping him company.

Harry was coloring at the table with Niall. He purposefully went out of the lines so Harry could laugh at him about it, and show Niall the right way to use a coloring book. Sometimes they wondered why it wasn’t Niall who was the baby in this little family of theirs, but while he was cute and adorable on his own, a baby or toddler just wasn’t who he was.

Liam was at the table beside Harry writing down a few things. And he couldn’t help but wonder about Harry. He found it odd that he hadn’t wet yet. All day and no accident? It wasn’t possible.

Right before the food was done in the oven he decided to see for his self if he did or not. So he slid out his chair, calling Harry’s name as he did. He patted his thigh once and Harry climbed over and up to sit on it, his long arms circling around Liam’s neck.

“Yeah daddy?”

Carefully, to not alarm Harry, his hand slipped right behind him and under his pants, and then his nappy. He felt the edge of it and knew it was used, even more so when Harry wiggled and he felt the weight of it on his leg. “You've wet and you didn’t tell us.”

Harry pursed his lips into a pout. “Didn’t wana. ‘s ‘mbarrassing.”

Liam smiled fondly, seeing Niall do the same. He rubbed his thumb over the blush on Harry’s face. “You don’t need to be, sweetie. Let’s get you changed, yeah?”

“Don’t wana!”

“Harry.” Liam frowned. “You won’t stay in a wet nappy all night. Now, let’s go change you.”

He lifted up the squirming boy and carried him into his room where the changing table was. As he left, Louis and Zayn walked inside from the backdoor. “Where’s my baby boy?” Louis asked Niall, who was clearing the table from the coloring mess.

Niall pointed to the boy’s bedroom. “Needed a change. He was being a bit fussy ‘bout it.”

“Should we go see if everything’s good?” Zayn asked.

Niall shook his head. “Nah, Liam can handle ‘em. Help me set the table, Lou, so Zayn can do actual work and get the food.”

“Yeah, I’ll help.” Louis threw a coloring book at his head.

In Harry’s bedroom, he was in fact ‘being a bit fussy’. Liam could understand why, however. He hadn’t been on his changing table in many months and it was scary and strange.

The table was long enough for the tall boy to stretch his legs full and have a few inches room still. After he was put down, Harry started twitching about, legs and arms flying, whining ‘no’ and ‘don’t wana’ things about how he was a big boy now and didn’t need them.

Liam simply held his stomach to keep him down, the stronger of the two. “Shh, daddy’s got you. It’s just me, Harry. I’ll take care of you, baby.”

Harry’s face was scrunched up, nose sniffling. “Daddy Li Li.”

Liam smiled. “Yeah, ‘s just your daddy, hon.” He patted his stomach twice. “I’m gonna change your diaper now, okay? It’s probably really uncomfortable, huh?”

Harry blushed and nodded once, but stayed still after, and Liam took that as he could start. “I'm just gonna take off your pants, all right?” He slid them off Harry with ease, surprisingly, what with the fear and embarrassment still in his eyes.

He opened the diaper and tossed it away in the disposable bin and turned back to Harry. “There’s a good boy,” he praised, smiling down at him. He reached under the table, where they had stocked all of the baby supplies, and got the wipes. “Daddy’s gonna wipe you.” He spoke softly. “It’ll be a bit cold but you’ll feel all clean.”

Harry grunted when his privates were jostled, cheeks pink. “Daddy,” he whined, shifting around.

Liam pressed his stomach again. “Stay still, Harry.” He finished wiping and tossed it away, and used a cloth to pat him dry, Harry making unpleasant noises. Hearing these sounds made Liam’s heart ache. He quickly found a stuffed toy under the table, a small little turtle, and waved it around to catch Harry’s attention. He got it in seconds, the boys’ soft whimpers stopping. He reached his hand for the stuffed animal, Liam pulling it away from him. “I want you to stay still for me. Understand?”

Harry nodded, hands clenching for the turtle. Liam set it in his hands and Harry pressed it to his face and cheek and sighed at the softness, his eyes closing, red lips parting. Liam just grinned at the cuteness that was this image.

The last thing he needed to do was put on the rash cream. He quickly grabbed the small tub of it and smeared it onto the parts that he knew would need it, and one part that had a little redness to it. Harry only made a few little huffing sounds when he did. Then Liam pulled the diaper together with a few snaps and tugs, and was done.

“You were such a good boy, love, gimme a kiss.” He pulled Harry up and kissed his lips softly, the boy smiling bright. “Let’s put you in something nice and warm now.” He picked out a dark grey sweater and some black sweatpants, and once Harry was dressed they went to eat dinner.

The table was set and everyone was sitting and waiting for them. When they saw Harry in his arms all snug and happy, practically glowing with it, they awed and smiled.

“You look so comfy, babe,” Zayn said. “Come sit and eat dinner before it gets cold.”

At dinner, Harry finally drank his milk, and it was the first time in days so his dads were very happy about it.

“So proud of you,” Niall said, kissing Harry’s cheek from where he sat beside him.

“Been good all day,” Zayn praised.

Liam pointed out he was put in the corner earlier, and Harry sank in his seat a bit.

“Oh, don’t listen to Li-Li, the strict old fart,” Louis said, patting Harry’s head. “He doesn’t know anything about breaking rules or being naughty.”

“What? First of all, you’re older than me. Second, that’s a lie.” he scoffed, and then seemed to regret it when Louis’s eyes glinted.

“Oh? Tell me when it happened, when you did something…gasp…naughty?”

Liam flushed red, and looked to Zayn for help. “Don’t look at me,” he said, taking a bite of food. “I wasn’t the one who—”

“Zayn, don’t!” Liam turned redder.

Niall ‘oohh’ed. “It’s bad, isn't it?” He looked as excited as Louis.

Harry clapped his hands, accidentally slinging rice around from his hands. “Li was naughty!”

Louis grinned. “He was, wasn’t he? And don’t you worry, little one, I’ll find out what he did, and he’ll get the naughty corner for a whole 20 minutes.”

Harry’s eyes bugged out. “That’s forever, daddy!”

Zayn smirked. “I’ll save you the trouble. He stole a pack of gum from a grocery store.”

Louis cackled. “What?”

Niall spit out his piece of chicken. “That's it?” His face was red.

“You’re—you’re such a bad influence on Harry, Liam,” Louis laughed. “You get the corner for 20 minutes after dinner!”

Liam stabbed his chicken, and Louis knew he was pretending it was him.

A movie was put on after they finished eating. The five of them cuddled impossibly close on the sofa, Harry in the middle of Niall and Louis with Zayn and Liam next to each other on the end by Niall. It was halfway through the second movie, a sequel, when Harry started yawning and leaning against Louis’s body, eyes drooping.

“You got up early today, hmm?” Louis stroked back a few stray strands of hair from his forehead soothingly. “Let’s put you in your night-times and go to bed.” He glanced over at the others, and smiled. “I think we’re all pretty tired,” he said, seeing their eyes drooping, too.

It was quick with Harry tired and not fussing around, too weary to do so. He did flush and mumble but it didn’t stop Louis from changing the diaper into a nighttime one. The nighttime ones were specifically for that, nighttime use, and Louis didn’t know what the difference was but on the front of the package it had a moon so it was legit. Then he had Harry brush his teeth and do all of the normal nightly routines before he carried the half asleep boy to bed, where the others were already situated on top of it, waiting for them.

“Can’t wait to cuddle with my Harry bear!” Niall said excitedly. He opened his arms, and Louis chuckled and set Harry down, his head going in the crook of Niall’s neck. Niall gently kissed his forehead. “Sweet Harry,” he whispered.

The lights were off, and everyone was snuggled close. Warm and cozy, as they all liked, next to each other.

“Love you,” Harry mumbled.

“Love you, Harry,” they all said back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! :) Much love!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Insert deep backstory on Zayn that is completely fake and made up for story purposes. Oh, and a sort of prelude to toddler Zayn. Sort of.
> 
> Warning: Spanking, corporal punishment, whatever you like to call it. Harry gets spanked. That's it. No likey? Go away.

They’d had their short vacation and it was back to work. It was too quick for them, but they loved what they did, and were happy to get into it. Though it took a while for Harry to become his older self again.

All the interviews and the like, with fans screaming their names, were incredible. There were even a couple shows. One Direction wasn’t just a family in a quiet home anymore, they were back to being a famous boy band.

And Harry was back to his usual self. But after a few weeks, the other boys could see he was missing it. In his stumbles and words, in the way he seemed to stand in doorways like he was waiting for something. One night Niall caught him in a hotel bathroom washing sheets, because he’d wet them. A few occasions he asked Liam to get him some apple juice, and while he did, it made them all miss it as well.

Sure, after particularly bad performances—according to Harry—or whenever an interviewer went too far, they were there for each other. There for Harry. But that wasn’t the same as being the family. As being Harry’s fathers. That was being friends, and they loved it, too, but being dads was their life now. Just as much as being One Direction was.

And so, when a month passed by, the attitude of Harry had changed yet again. He got a bit “rude” as the interviewer called him with false politeness, when asked about his relationships. If it wasn’t for Louis’s hand tight on Harry’s leg and Zayn’s arm around his shoulder on the sofa, Harry might’ve done something or said something very bad. Niall evaded it with something, like he did, but still, it was a sign.

Luckily, they got a week off.

_+_

It seemed Harry’s bad mood transferred into his child mind. There were tantrums galore. Messed made. Refusals all around. Time outs were ditched, and made longer.

The third morning, everyone but Harry were up, the youngest was still snuggled in their bed, wide awake. And when Liam and Zayn pulled him up, saying he needed a change, he kicked at them both and shoved them away. “No,” he screamed. His face was scrunched and eyes tightly closed. “No change!”

“Harry!” Zayn chastised. “Stop this, right now!”

“No! No change!” Harry huffed and kicked out, this time succeeding in smacking one of them, right in the stomach. It was Zayn who was hit, and he ‘oomph’ed and tumbled backwards, folding over and holding his gut from the impact. Harry was a good kicker, a past-life kangaroo.

Liam made sure Zayn was okay, getting a sharp nod, before he climbed onto the bed. He straddled Harry’s body, Harry’s limbs pinned down by his thighs and arms, and glared at the red-faced angry boy who still struggled and wiggled to get free, and be a pain in their asses. He was sicker of it than worried, now. “You had better calm down,” Liam said smoothly, warning deep in his tone, “or your behind is going to be spanked.”

And Harry let out a short whine, and ceased all movement. “S-spank?” he whispered.

Neither Zayn nor Liam said anything back to him, because what were they to say? Spanking hadn’t ever been brought up before. In the near year that they’d been doing this, corporal punishment had never been even an option.

Liam lifted him up and carried him to the changing table, and Louis came inside to see Harry. When he saw his face, and it was horrified, and dazed, from what Liam had said to him, Louis was shocked.

“What d’you do to him, Li?” Louis asked, combing fingers in Harry’s hair to calm him, as it usually did. But Harry was still dazed out.

“He was fussing again,” Liam said, getting out a new diaper. “Kicked at Zayn and me and wouldn’t get changed.”

Louis hummed. He looked Harry in the eye and said, “You need to behave, Harry, and do what we tell you. If we need to change you, you will be changed.” He patted his head sweetly, trying to get him out of his funk. “Sweetheart?”

Harry woke up from his daze then, eyes turning back into their pools of mischief that they usually were, and stuck out his tongue at Louis when he noticed him, who gaped.

Liam laughed at the defiance towards Louis, and then stopped laughing when Harry was wriggling again, and groaning. “Jesus, Harry,” he sighed, holding his stomach down to keep him there.

“No! No!” Harry yelled. “I'm a big boy! No nappy! Big Harry!”

Louis pinched the bridge of his nose, and let out a frustrated moan. “I'm not fully awake yet for his screaming.” Then he pulled out a pacifier and stuck it into Harry’s mouth. Harry just sucked on it, and it made him less wriggly and whiny. “Should just do that every time, huh?” he said with a smirk to Liam, who nodded back with a huffed laugh and got to swapping out a dirty diaper for a clean diaper quick in case the boy decided to be a hassle again.

Breakfast was just cereal for them all. Tired from the past few days making sure Harry was okay. All the stress from being big Harry had made younger Harry a bit of a brat, but they did their best.

“Here, Har bear, I got your favorite sugary cereal,” Niall said, setting down the blue bowl of charms.

Harry smiled up at him. “Thanks!”

That was good to hear, the happiness, and to see him smile like that, so carefree. Yesterday Harry wouldn’t even eat Liam’s smiley face pancakes, and that was way better than some cereal. Maybe Harry just had a bad start to the day and he would behave, unlike the past few days.

Niall smiled, kissing the boys cheek. He sat down to eat his own.

Harry slurped and downed his cereal. He ignored his orange juice, though, which Zayn pointed out.

“Drink your juice, Harry.”

“No!”

Of course, right when they were happy was when Harry decided to toss his bowl to the floor, along with his full cup of OJ—thankfully plastic cup, because they knew better now. The last pieces of cereal and milk and juice were laid on the carpet, sad and pitiful looking, like how they all felt.

“Harry Styles!” Liam gasped. “Why would you do that?”

Harry huffed. His cheeks were angry red, puffed out. “Don’t want juice.”

Louis groaned. “Harry. You should know better.”

“Why did you do that, Harry?” Zayn asked. He stood up to grab a towel, and started cleaning it up before it stained the carpet. Niall joined him on the floor, while Liam and Louis stared at Harry, waiting for an answer.

“I wana watch TV!”

“Harry,” Louis said flatly. “You’ve been bad. Only good boys get to watch cartoons. Now, let’s go to the time out corner, okay?”

“No lunchtime snack, either, love,” Zayn said, looking up from where he was still getting the remnants of soggy cereal. “I don’t think you deserve it today.”

Harry started to cry while Louis led him to the corner by a hand, partly dragging him along. “B-but I wanted chocolate!” He stomped his foot.

Louis shushed him, and set him in the chair. He wiped his tears. No matter how much it hurt him seeing Harry’s face wet with tears, he knew that was part of the boys plan to get out of this. “Sorry, baby, but you need to think about what you’ve done this morning. And…probably the last few days, too. Okay? Just ten minutes.” Louis kissed his forehead, and went to clean up after breakfast.

During Harry’s timeout, Niall, the thoughtful thing, had the idea of a picnic outside. It was nice enough outside, and he thought they could play ball and eat sandwiches and lie in the sun and tan and soak it up while it lasted, and just have a fun family outing together in the privacy of their enormous backyard. Maybe it’d bring Harry out of this funk.

“Great plan, Ni!” Liam grinned, hugging the blonde. Zayn joined in, too, and Louis was pulled in forcefully, but laughed it off.

Two hours later, right before Zayn was going to make the sandwiches with Liam, he ordered Harry for a nap. So he could have the energy to play outside and all, because they knew how Harry was. But he refused to sleep. He just sat on the living room floor with his stuffed animals and talked quietly to them, and barely uttered a word to the four of his dads.

Louis didn’t want to admit it hurt, but it did, and they all saw the pain of it in each other’s faces. Harry was doing this to spite them.

Five minutes later, Harry was in the naughty corner for breaking a lamp by throwing his blocks at it. And thus the picnic was ruined.

The four of them went to their planning spot, their bedroom, to talk about Harry, again.

Liam spit out what he was thinking. “I think it’s our punishments.”

“What do you mean?” Zayn asked.

“The time outs, and no snacks or deserts, all of it isn't working. That’s why he’s like this. He thinks he can get away with it ‘cause he knows that all he’ll hafta do is sit in a corner.”

“But what else‘re we supposed to do?” Niall wondered. “I mean, I don’t see what we can do.”

Liam bit at his lip. He glanced at Zayn, who frowned in confusion at the pointed look. “Earlier I told Harry if he didn’t behave I’d spank him.”

Zayn nodded when they all looked shocked. “He did. But we can’t do that, Li. It just…it just isn't right, you know?”

He licked his dry lips and nibbled them when they all gave him an odd look, one that Zayn didn’t particularly feel good about. Like he was an idiot or something for saying that.

“I was spanked, and I turned out okay,” Niall eventually said, and with a big grin.

Louis laughed, slapping his face teasingly. Niall kept his grin. “Yeah, you’re utter perfection, Niall. The poster boy for good behavior.”

Liam pouted at that. “But I thought I—”

Louis hushed him, saying, “You’re still the main goodie-goodie here, Li, don’t worry.” Liam smiled. Louis continued, “I was spanked, too, and it always worked. From what I remember, anyways.”

Niall just nodded at Zayn. “I think it’s great. Just what our little boy needs, honestly. Make him a bit less wild.”

“Like Niall said. Just what Harry needs,” Liam repeated. “So how—”

“No, no way,” Zayn shoved in. He shook his head, unbelieving of what he heard. Unbelieving that they all wanted to hit Harry. “We can’t spa—“ He swallowed a bit, the word getting stuck in his throat. “Spank Harry. I don’t approve, I can’t approve of it.”

Suddenly, Liam and Louis and Niall moved closer to him. Each face was overly concerned, and Zayn knew that little stutter fucked it all up. Their hands reached out to him, to comfort him for something they didn’t know of, and he slid back on the bed away from them, and hoped that his move let them know he didn’t want comfort right now. He could see the mental flinch they all made.

“Z? Why don’t you approve?” Louis asked softly.

“You can tell us,” Liam said. “We won’t, like, judge or anything. You know that.”

“Yeah,” Niall agreed, nodding his head. “Just tell us, though, please? I'm a bit worried. A lot, actually.”

With their eyes on him, searching his expression and watching his hands grip the sheets, it felt like his soul was being ripped out and shown right there for all to see. That was just too much for him to take.

He shot up from the bed, ignoring their calls for him to stay. “Just leave me alone for a bit,” he shouted back.

He spotted Harry in the corner as he fast-paced to the back door to get outside, and the boy glanced back hearing his rushing only to look forward at the corner again when he pointed hard at him to turn back around. Then he sat outside on a bench and smoked two cigarettes, needing the nicotine more than ever, knowing he would have to tell one of his deepest most kept secrets of his childhood for Harry. To keep Harry safe, and from the pain he had felt.

About 10 minutes later, Zayn threw himself between them when he came inside, against the pillows of the made bed. His body felt as weary as his mind. “Harry went down for a nap,” he practically breathed out. “He looked tired so I just gave ‘em a pillow and blanket and set him on the sofa.”

Niall shoved himself into and on top of Zayn’s body, between his legs to tangle theirs together. Niall was small so it wasn’t painful having him lie on him, just a soft pressure he rather liked. If it was Liam it would hurt, though. “You gonna tell us why you panicked?” Niall asked, resting his chin on his hands at Zayn’s abs.

“Panicked?” he asked.

Louis settled at Zayn’s side right, Liam following on the other, to press his head into the crook of his neck, and Zayn was now covered from all sides, by a body or the mattress, and it was warm and pleasant. “Yup, you were, and I think still are.” He brushed his finger across Zayn’s cheekbones. “What’s wrong?”

Zayn swallowed, and licked his lips, preparing.

A heavy sigh from Liam was hot on his forehead. “You worry me—us. I mean, when you push everyone away, it hurts more than you—.”

Zayn took Liam’s hand and squeezed it tight. “I won’t push away now.”

He decided to just tell it in a story, what was wrong, and he asked for no interruptions, nudging Louis with his head, who pinky promised he wouldn’t speak until Zayn was finished.

“In school I was bullied a lot, you all know that. But when I fought back against them and my parents found out they got really mad and they spanked me for it for the first time.” He took a pause for a needed breath after that sudden reveal. “You probably think that’s okay, and yeah, I s’ppose it is, to spank or whatever. I know most parents do it. But the way my parents did it was… Well, I’ll…I’ll just…say.” He focused on all of their warm bodies to comfort him, and their silence, and let it out. “I was told to take off my pants. Stand at the end of their bed and have my hands on the mattress. And they hit me with my dad’s belt. Every punishment was that. No matter what I did. And it—it hurt all week long. Couldn’t sit down at school and everyone laughed at me, and I didn’t wana tell…if I got punished for tattling, you know?” He stopped to hold in tears at the memories. He could practically hear the taunts still. That was one of the worst times of his life. “I had to go see a counselor when I was 10, my parents with me a few times. After a while they had figured it wasn’t all completely right.” He laughed humorlessly. “The damage was done already, I guess, so…yeah.”

The silence, which was tense, lasted a few seconds.

“Zayn,” Liam began lowly, “you know we wouldn’t ever hurt Harry. And we wouldn’t use a belt, that’s horrid.” He carefully, like Zayn was delicate, rubbed his hand along his chest, right beside Niall’s head.

“But you might,” he replied. “And he might not tell you.” He felt there was something stuck in his throat.

Louis kissed Zayn’s neck. “Babe, we love you, but we love Harry, too, and we have to do this. He’s been a brat Z and it can’t be let go. You know he’ll just continue doing this, and maybe even when we go back. If it helps….”

Zayn shook his head, and sat up, shoving them all off him, mad and upset. Niall fussed and glared while he got in a sitting position cross-legged, but then his gaze softened at him.

Niall spoke. “Zayn, my mum didn’t do it like that. You wana know how? She put me over her lap and asked me why I was being punished before spanking me, and it worked. I at least stopped with the bad attitude for a while.”

“And that’s how we’ll do Harry,” Liam murmured, eyeing Zayn, seeing his fragile state.

“I think Zayn should do it.”

Zayn looked at Louis like he grew two heads, though in total fairness most of the time when Louis spoke people tended to look at him in that way, because he was so outrageous sometimes with his words and his actions. “You're mad. I'm not doing that. I—I am not spanking our baby boy.” He sucked his lip into his mouth and found it to be trembling.

“Hey now,” Liam put his arm around his shaking shoulders. “It’s for your own good, love. So you know we’re not hurting him. We’re not…abusing Harry; it’s just another kind of punishment.”

“I can’t,” he said, and realized he whined that out. “I won’t do it.”

“Zayn. For Harry and for you. You’ll see why, okay?”

Niall hugged him after Liam, and Louis, before embracing him in his own, said, “You’re doing this, and that’s final.”

Zayn tried not to laugh; nothing was coming up from his throat that wouldn’t be a sob, so he kept his mouth shut.

They left him to think, to have a moment to gather himself into the strong parent he was. And the minutes went by too fast, and Liam stuck his head in to say, “Harry’s waiting for you in his room.”

Zayn nodded and got up. “Right.”

Liam patted his back. Gave an encouraging smile. “You’ll be fine. He won’t hate you, love.”

Again, he nodded, this time wordlessly.

Harry was sitting on the little sofa beside his changing table. He didn’t look up when Zayn came in, only when he shut the door, because the door was rarely shut—mostly at night only. “Daddy Z?”

Zayn swallowed hard at the glassy eyes of Harry that had obviously shed many tears minutes ago, and he couldn’t help but start thinking of how after this he’d never want to be near Zayn again because he hurt him. But he tried to think good thoughts, of Liam and Niall and Louis telling him he was wrong even if all of his experiences told him, no, he was definitely right in believing Harry would hate him.

He smiled at their baby boy to keep the fear at bay. “Hi Harry.”

Harry cuddled up next to him on the long couch, two legs long over Zayn’s and his butt on his thigh. “Li says you gotta punish me. But I was in the corner foreeeever.”

Zayn pet his hair. “I know you were punished, baby. Can you tell me what punishments are?”

“When I'm bad they happen.”

Zayn nodded with a small smile. “Yeah. That’s right. What’re some punishments you’ve gotten, hm?”

“Um. The naughty corner. I don’t get snacks,” he pouted. “And my toys! I'm not supposed to play with them sometimes.”

“Good. But baby, a punishment has to change your bad behavior, and so far this week, none of those have done that.”

Harry blushed. “I know, daddy. ‘M sorry, really sorry!”

He hushed him before the tears started, kissing his temple. He kept his lips there for a moment longer, because Harry probably wouldn’t want his touch ever again once he was through. “We know. We know you’re sorry. But it was decided—we decided to punish you in a different way.”

“Different?” Harry innocently asked.

“Baby, you know what a spanking is?”

Harry shifted around on Zayn’s lap; he steadied him with hands on his hips. “No, dad, no spanking. I'm a good boy!” Harry looked as panicked as Zayn felt inside, and it was terrifying, because he remembered looking this way, and it only made them worse. But he wouldn’t ever make it worse; he didn’t even want to do this.

“Harry, you haven't really been a good boy. Now I want you to just breathe deeply, okay, and try to calm down.” His thumb rubbed into his skin beneath the top Harry wore. He tried to follow his own instructions to Harry on himself with that, taking his own quiet breathe. “You’re gonna lay over my lap, and you can cuddle your teddy bear if you want. But this is happening. And you need to behave for me, a’right.”

It took a few more short minutes to get the boy calmed and down across his lap, his legs bent over the arm of the sofa, and his butt at Zayn’s thigh. Harry had his bear shoved up against his face, like a pillow, and he was squeezing it to death, on the verge of popping its black button eyes out.

Experimentally he put his hand on the boys’ small bottom, and Harry flinched and let a scratchy moan come out. “Please no, daddy,” he begged.

Zayn almost didn’t. But again he recalled the boys’ words of comfort and assurance that it would be fine in the end. “I'm sorry, I have to,” he whispered, too low for Harry to hear him. Louder now, “I'm gonna count them for you. 20, okay? If you stay still it’ll only be 20, so don’t move or this’ll be longer than you want.” Longer than I want, too.

It was right outside the closed door that the others were listening, and now they left, knowing Zayn would follow through with it. They all were proud of him and what he was doing, it took a lot after what he told them, and silently each boy knew he would be a sobbing mess like Harry when the spanking was done with. Zayn was emotional about this. And no doubt came to them with thinking this would break him, in good ways, but possibly a bit of bad, too. It was fine, though. They would be there for him.

Half a minute went by with Zayn just sitting there, Harry and him heavily breathing, his hand on his butt that soon would be burning and slapped. Then, the courage seemed to jump at him from nowhere, and he started spanking Harry right over his nappy. He counted, just as he said, and after ten went by Harry was still and good, letting Zayn hit his bottom, but he heard the quiet sobs, recalling he did the same. ‘Stay quiet and get less’, is what he thought when he was bent over the bed vulnerable.

Then the sobs and wiggles began. “Daddy, stop! Please! I’ll be good! I pwomise!” Harry’s legs kicked a bit, and he pushed his groin into Zayn’s thigh to get away from the spanks.

“15, 16, 17,” he continued, his own hand stinging a bit. “Just stay still, babes,” he said, and finished off with hard and quick slaps, “18, 19, 20.”

Lasting barely a minute, but feeling like years had gone by, Zayn just pulled Harry into his arms and hoped he wouldn’t push him away or tell him he hated him. He had to get his last hug in now, before that did happen.

Unexpectedly, Harry hugged him back, and hard and loving. “I'm sorry, daddy,” he murmured shakily. “I’ll behave. No spanks. No more.”

“You were so brave. And if you're good you won’t get ‘em. I love you.” He kissed his cheek.

“Love you, daddy,” Harry kissed his cheek sloppily in return of Zayn’s, and snuggled into his neck cutely.

Zayn couldn’t believe it. Harry didn’t hate him. It was like the boys said.

Suddenly, he realized, he hated that. He would prefer the pushing away, like he had done; it was familiar and made sense. It didn’t have him feeling like a thousand pounds were pushing on his chest and lungs.

Because why couldn’t it have gone this way for him? Why couldn’t his father or mother hug him? Make him feel better? Tell him it was okay? Did he not deserve that when he was bad, to be shown he was good afterward?

Harry had what he wished he had when he was young. And he was unexpectedly jealous.

The door opened and in came the others, Liam first, then Louis, and finally Niall, who had a bottle in his hand of some lotion or cream.

Niall saw his wandering eyes. “For Harry, so it doesn’t hurt as much or as long.”

Harry looked up. “It hurts. Make it go away, Ni.”

Niall held out his arms with a soft coo. “Come on baby, let’s go put this on your bottom, and get you some ice cream for being so good for daddy Zayn.”

The blonde shot a look at Zayn after the other two boys, and Zayn knew what was happening. Liam and Louis, as soon as Niall and Harry were out, cuddled either side of him. And Zayn let the tears fall, not having the strength to stop it anymore.

Liam kissed his lips. “Love, what is it? You were so good. And Harry still loves you.”

Louis kissed them next. “Yeah. He probably loves you more than me now,” he joked. “Don’t cry. Please. Did something… did Harry say something that made you upset?”

“No,” he whimpered out. “He said he loved me, and---and he hugged me!”

Louis awed and held him tight. His ear was at Zayn’s heart. “Why is that making you cry?”

He looked down at Louis and over at Liam, and was caught for words, afraid that what he would say wouldn’t be okay. “I just—I—”

Liam shushed him. “Just say it. You can say anything to us.”

“I'm jealous,” he spit out. “Jealous ‘cause Harry has good dads and I didn’t have that, I didn’t have this, and I wish I could go back and change things so they were like this, like us. Perfect and nice and wonderful and just really, really—”

Louis and Liam hushed his rushing words. “You’re gonna bust a lung, sweetheart,” Louis said, patting his side. “Sit still and breath.”

While he did that, they just looked at each other from either side of him, speaking without speaking at all, using eye language that only Louis could do, and he did really well, and Liam nodded at whatever he had said with his blue eyes. Zayn didn’t like it, watching made him more nervous.

“Do you need anything?” Liam asked out of nowhere.

“Like a tissue?” he asked confusedly.

Louis laughed. “No, love, do you need anything? Anything at all?” He raised a brow, like Zayn would suddenly understand.

He didn’t. He just shook his head, sniffing and wiping away wet cheeks. “No?”

Louis sighed. “If you need us in that way, we’ll be here for you, like with Harry.”

Now he got it. But still, he said, “No,” only more firmly. There was no possible way he would be a child in this relationship, in this family they had going. Zayn was not a child at heart or mind. And the thought was a bit degrading.

Liam did not seem get his answer or something, maybe he had gone deaf for a moment, and pestered him. “It’ll be good for you, and Harry. He’ll love a new playmate.”

Louis butted in, getting his own pestering out. “We can easily change the guestroom for a room that you can have.”

Then they both were pestering Zayn, and he just sat there wide-eyed, unfathomed by this, that it was really happening. That they were suggesting this to him.

“All it takes to get there is a little push, Z.”

“You won’t even notice that you’ve gone, it’ll be fast and easy and you’ll be happy.”

“Harry clearly loves it, you can too.”

“I don’t wana!” he nearly screamed. He saw their shocked faces, flushing. “Sorry. But, erm… I'm not. Doing that, I mean. I'm not—I… I refuse to be that, like Harry. Like a child.”

“You sure act like one,” Louis chuckled.

Liam glared at Louis. He had a softer look at Zayn. “You can be whatever age you want. Whatever is most comfortable for you, you can be that, with us.”

Zayn knew they wouldn’t be quiet about this, as they seemed very adamant. So he said, “I want to be alone. But…I’ll think on it, yeah?” and they left him to his own annoying, ugly jealous thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to post.
> 
> There will be ONE MORE CHAPTER after this one.

Leaving Zayn alone with Liam and Louis, Niall left with Harry in his arms shifting about. Normally Niall would tell him to be still, but knowing how much his ass had to be hurting he didn’t say anything to the just spanked boy.

All he could think about was that right now in Harry’s bedroom Zayn was probably full on crying. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea they’ve had, to have Zayn punish Harry, and maybe it brought up some things he didn’t want brought up—it probably recalled some memories from his own childhood—but in the end everything would eventually right itself, and Zayn would be okay.

Niall knew what would happen, of course. Because he knew these boys like the back of his hand. He knew what Liam and Louis would ask of Zayn once all his tears had gone. And that was whether or not he wanted to be Harry’s dad anymore, or be a brother to him. He only hoped Zayn chose what was best for him, or they’d have to do it for him.

“Daddy Ni,” Harry whined.

When he realized he was just standing in the middle of the living room with Harry in his arms, he sighed. He had to take care of his baby boy.

“Sorry, bug,” he said, kissing the boys forehead. He smiled when Harry squirmed happily at the attention he craved. “I’ll get this stuff on you and then we’ll have some ice cream. Sounds good, yeah?” He set Harry on the sofa on his front, and stroked the boys’ hair affectionately.

“Before dinner?” he asked, shocked.

“Yup!” Niall replied.

“Chocolate?” Harry asked timidly, looking back and up at Niall.

“Only the best for my Harry bear!”

He was glad that Zayn left Harry’s nappy on, otherwise his bum would be redder and sorer, and also Harry probably messed in it during the spanking.

He asked, “Did you wet a little?”

Hiding his face in his crossed arms, Harry muttered, “Yeah.”

Niall stroked his back. “It’s okay. That’s why they’re on, remember? Now daddy’s gonna hafta turn you over to change you. It might hurt a bit, but bear with me for a while, love, and then I’ll make the yucky pain go away.”

“Okie, daddy.”

A few tears slipped from Harry’s already red eyes when he was laid on his back. Niall rubbed his belly, hushing him with soft sounds, grabbing the stuff they left out under the table next to the couch in case of a diaper emergency. He pushed Harry’s legs up so his butt wasn’t on the sofa, legs bent at the knees. Undoing the diaper and carefully and slowly pulling it off, Niall made a soft coo at Harry, who groaned in embarrassment, and at the sting of cool air on his no doubt heated ass cheeks. He set the slightly damp diaper in a tiny bin.

First he wiped Harry, getting all the necessary places with the wipes, and then he used the diaper cream, just a little though because Harry really only tinkled, to make sure he didn’t rash. That would only make Harry feel worse in his diaper, rather than comforted. He lifted him up a bit to set a new clean diaper under him. He had the tube of lotion for Harry’s spanked bottom in his hand; squirting a good amount onto his fingers he soothingly rubbed it along the reddened cheeks until it vanished into his skin enough.

Harry started to fidget, and whimper. Niall shushed him. “Just a few seconds, honey. Then ice cream.”

“Stingy, Ni-Ni!”

When he saw Harry putting his fingers in his mouth, all four, and chewing with a passion on them, he tutted, “Pull those pretty things outta there, Harry. You want a paci instead?”

Harry did as he told with a little bit of sad in his eyes. They wetly clung to his shirt. But he nodded, his chin moving just so. “Paci, wan’ paci.”

“All right.” He closed up the diaper and pulled Harry’s legs down flat on the couch. “Here’s your pacifier, darling,” he said after grabbing the nearest one that was in the side table drawer, leaning over Harry to stick it in his waiting mouth. He sucked on it with fervor.

Then he just held Harry in his arms, the boys’ legs long on the sofa. For a minute or two did, rocking him, patting his back in soft beats. Harry pushed his head under Niall’s, and his spit-covered fingers rested along the top of Niall’s shirt. There were continuous little whines of pain coming from his pacifier-ed mouth, which he sucked like he never had before.

“I know it hurts, I know.”

“Wun issshh cweem.”

Niall chuckled. “Right. How could I forget that?”

A few minutes later, Harry was spoon deep in chocolate ice cream on the couch—he let him eat here just this once, because of the hard kitchen table chairs. Niall put a bib on him, though, and thankfully he did because Harry dropped some of out of his mouth as well as his spoon.

Liam and Louis came out then, and they all talked in the kitchen.

“How’s Zayn?” Niall asked. He leaned against the oven.

“How’s Harry?” Louis retorted.

Niall just pointed to him on the sofa. He was clutching the blue bowl filled with chocolate to him and had a look of ecstasy, despite how much his ass had to be smarting like hell. “He‘s got chocolate so, yeah, he’ll be fine.”

Liam smiled for a moment. “Thank goodness. Zayn…” He looked to Louis. “We asked him if he wanted to be like Harry… He said he’d think on it, but I don’t think he’ll want to.”

“He should,” Niall said. “It’ll be good for him. He was the one who suggested this in the first place for Harry anyway.”

“He won’t go easy,” Louis said. He grabbed a soda from the fridge. “We’ll have to goad him a bit. More than a bit, we’ll need to shove him.” He downed half of it in one go. He needed the sugar, he was worn out.

Liam grabbed Louis’s drink and had the rest, ignoring his protests. “Zayn’s pretty vulnerable right now. It’s probably the best time to do it. If we don’t soon, he’ll talk himself outta it for sure.”

Niall nodded. “Once Harry’s in bed we’ll get him.”

“You think he can sleep in his own bed tonight?” Louis asked. “Maybe we’d better pull out the onesies.”

“Make it easier that way,” Liam agreed.

“Ni! I'm done!” Harry shouted from the sofa.

Niall grinned and went to Harry. He grabbed the ice cream bowl; it was licked completely clean, as well as the spoon. He kissed his cheek only to find it coated in sticky ice cream. It outlined his lips and there were spots on his face, and his nose. He poked Harry’s dimple and smiled. “You’re covered in sticky chocolate, baby.”

“’S good sticky, daddy!”

Niall laughed. He untied the bib from around his neck and tossed it over his shoulder.

Louis came over. “How bout I wash him up, and you help Liam with dinner.” Niall nodded, and after another little kiss from Harry he went to Liam in the kitchen.

“Where’s Zaynie?” Harry asked. He looked down the hallway and around the room.

Louis smiled, it didn’t reach his eyes. “He’ll be out for dinner, love. Let’s wash you up now.” He lifted Harry to cradle him—Louis had gotten used to picking him up and even grew muscles from it—and carry him to the bathroom. He set him on the toilet and wet a cloth with warm water. Holding Harry’s chin in his hand, he rubbed away the chocolate stains. There was a lot of it, and he wondered how much got in Harry’s stomach if this much was on his face.

“You’ll still have room for dinner, won’t you? How much did Niall give you?”

“Lots!” Harry said with glee.

Louis dabbed Harry’s nose, then kissed it. “Well, I suppose if you just eat the vegi’s you’ll have room.” He laughed at the horror on Harry’s face.

_+_

Dinner was quiet. They ordered out for Chinese, none of them wanting to cook. Zayn came out, but he looked tired, and Harry barely ate. Niall tried to make Harry smile, but nothing worked, not even the walrus chopsticks. It was awful. Harry felt he was the reason why, and Zayn was thinking on what happened, and the others were wondering what to say to Zayn later. It was pretty much the time to think and worry, and overall be upset.

When it was over, and everything was cleaned up, Zayn went to the bathroom, perfct timing for Louis to talk Harry. He only hoped he understood, and wasn’t angry or sad that they wouldn’t be sleeping together as five. This was the dire time to do it—Louis pictured Zayn staying up and telling himself not to do the ageplay, playing the opposite role, and they had to get him before he could convince himself.

“I need you to take your room tonight, love. Your daddies need to talk to Zayn without you, grown up talk.”

“About me? I still bad?”

Louis held Harry to him in a quick crushing hug. “You were good, baby. You learned, yeah?” Harry nodded against his chest. Louis pecked the top of his head. “Good.”

Harry looked up at him. “Is he sad?”

All he did was pat his head. “Tomorrow Zayn will be much better, Harry.”

“‘kay, Lou.”

Louis smiled. “Liam’s gonna put you into your favorite onesie, okay?” He sent him off to Liam, who was waiting nearby with his classic kind smile.

Everyone was ready for bed. Harry was in his onesie, and snuggled in his bed after the nighttime routine, clean nappy on and a stuffed toy under his arm. He looked as adorable was he ever could, and he was happy even though he couldn’t sleep with his daddies when he really wanted to. Zayn was sad and needed grown up time, so he backed away, was good and noble.

At first Zayn was confused as to why Harry wanted his room for this night of all nights and not to sleep with them, especially after what happened.

Louis said, “He just wanted to be alone, I guess.”

“It’s better this way. We won’t hurt his sore bum in our sleep,” Niall put in.

Liam nodded. He didn’t say anything, he was a bad liar.

Zayn frowned at the three of them, but shrugged it away.

They all kissed Harry’s forehead goodnight, even Zayn did, and he held Harry in a little hug for a minute, telling him he was so good today, so perfect and beautiful, and Harry said he’d behave from now on.

Four dads climbed into their shared big bed. The lights turned off. They had a window with the blinds slightly turned up, moonlight pushing its way in the room. And for a few minutes it was silent, and calm. Steady breathing and closed eyes ready to dream.

That was when Niall, Liam, and Louis all surrounded Zayn. Louis pressed to his front, Liam and Niall his back, the blonde with Liam over his shoulder. And he knew what was happening, he knew them too well. “I know what you’re doing. And I'm not—”

Louis groaned at those words. “Zayn, stop refusing. You knew Harry needed it, and we did, too, once you mentioned it. Can’t you just see that you might, too?”

“I'm a grown ass man!” He bared his teeth like an animal.

“Zayn.” Louis leveled a look on him. “You know that has nothing to do with it.”

Liam bit his lip. “That’s the thing, too,” he said quietly. Zayn looked back at Liam. “You know. So why are you like this? Why the refusal? Are you ashamed? Embarrassed?” he asked, leaning over Niall’s body further. Their faces pressed beside one another. “You don’t need to be ashamed or embarrassed baby.”

Zayn’s face turned red, they saw it in the moonlight. He tried to hide it in his upper arm that rested on the pillow. Niall cooed at him, and stroked his hair. Zayn shoved him away in one slow motion.

Niall pulled his hand back to his body. “Zayn. We love you. We want what’s best for you.”

Zayn furiously shook his head. There were tears in his eyes. “I don’t need this, I don’t, okay—it’s not—I'm not a baby. I'm not a baby.”

“Then don’t be a baby,” Liam said softly. “Be whatever you want, whatever you feel most comfortable with. We’ll follow and take care of you.”

Louis smiled at Zayn. “You can do this, baby. Be our little man. Be Harry’s brother. Let us be your dad’s. You trust us, right?”

It was silent. Zayn was breathing harshly, and the three of them furrowed their brows when he didn’t say anything. “You do trust us, don’t you?” he repeated.

Zayn lifted his head to say, “Of course I do. With my life, absolutely.”

“Then Zayn,” Niall spoke, “trust us to know what’s best for you.”

Zayn’s body trembled like cool air hit it, and he curled his hands into fists, pressing one to his mouth to silence his shaking words, the other against his head, pulling hair. Soft exhales, and flittering lashes over teary eyes, Zayn was close. They felt it, and like sensing the weather they could tell Zayn was seconds away from falling back into place.

Liam shushed him. The tips of his fingers played along Zayn’s shoulder, a soft comforting touch. “It’s okay. You can do it, love, remember how easy it was for Harry? Like flipping a switch.”

“Don’t you want what Harry has?” Louis prodded. “We’ll be that for you, too.”

“Give you everything you need, always,” Niall said. “Whatever it is, whoever you want to be. A baby, a kid, or even a teenager. Only you know, Zayn.”

He blinked up at Louis, the boy who was easiest to look at. Louis gave an encouraging smile, and his hand held Zayn’s cheek, thumb sliding smoothly along his warm, tear-dampened skin. “It’s simple, hon. We love you. We’ll take care of you. You need this, Zayn, so please, just flip that switch for us.”

“You promise?” Zayn whispered.

“Promise.”

“We promise.”

“Promise, Zayn.”

Zayn licked his lips, and looked each of them in the eyes. From the brown to the blue’s, he strongly looked, and pondered, and then, with a little red on his cheeks, and a hesitant smile that quickly became true, he swallowed the denial. Something overcame him in the best way, and he said, “Okay…daddies…”

Louis grinned. He cupped his face and kissed his lips in a hard smack. “So proud of you.”

An arm around Zayn’s waist was yanking him; he turned onto his back to see it was Niall. “Give me a kiss!” the blonde demanded, his lips puckered and ready.

Zayn giggled, and it was so cute Liam had to stifle a noise. Niall gave Zayn his own wet smack of a kiss, letting Liam bend over his body for his own. Something was more complete now, and thought it felt wrong without Harry there, amidst their cuddling and laughter before sleep, in the morning they would make it up to him—by giving him a new playmate, and brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I have a thing for diaper scenes. Writing them makes me happy.
> 
> Thanks for reading peoples, much love all around!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One Direction go to the lake for some fun!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was a little lost on how exactly to end this... I'm not as proud of this chappy as I am of the other ones :/ Anywoozzz, happy reading!
> 
> (I originally wrote this with Zayn as the dad, so if you spot anything off I'm sorry!)

Harry had been surprised to see his daddy behaving like a kid the next morning. But Zayn was more fun, he said, and they got to building stuff together with blocks and playing make believe, and Harry was set. Zayn was pretty happy, too. He smiled at his new dad’s, and they smiled back, and he smiled even wider, and everything was good.

The sad part was that they had to get back to work. They all agreed it wouldn’t be good for Zayn to switch back to being an adult so quickly after making such a change. But they couldn’t exactly cancel three shows, or tell management they did age play and Zayn was adjusting to being a toddler right now after being Harry’s daddy so they needed time off again.

But they always had some days off in between, weekends even, or a few hours each night was enough sometimes, just putting the kids to bed or slipping a pacifier into their mouths to comfort them. And Zayn seemed to be doing fine with it all, adjusting perfectly.

_+_

Then it wasn’t so fine.

Two long shows were done. Two long, loud shows, night after night. Each one of them was tired and sleep-deprived, but Zayn was the worst, acting cranky and pissed off. He always needed the most sleep out of all of them; anyone could spot him on a sofa before a show resting.

It was clear what he needed: a break.

When they had two days off before a long month ahead, and they fell into their family role of dads and kids, Zayn didn’t really take it too well. He went into his mindset, but somehow, the cranky attitude was still there.

Harry was an angel compared to Zayn. Obeyed the rules. Not once did he get sent to time out or have to be spanked.

Louis saw how it irritated Zayn, seeing Harry like this. “Zayn’s gonna do something if we don’t first.”

“We should just go somewhere,” Niall said. “Maybe the park?”

Louis shook his head. “How bout the lake?”

Liam, who was sitting with Zayn and Harry on the sofa, called out, “Sound perfect.”

So Louis had found a nice little lake nearby.It was too nice, with the sun shining and only a few puffs of white in the sky, to stay indoors and turn pale.

Harry was excited. All of his daddies were, too. But, well, Zayn was not as happy about it as the others. He wasn't the best swimmer, he mostly floated in the shallow end whenever they were in any body of water, be it a lake or river or pool or ocean. His dad’s were somewhat forcing him to go, be outside and get sunshine and clear his head or something.

Thus One Direction was off to the lake.

Gathering towels and sun lotion, and a cooler for the food and drinks, snacks and bottled water, plus some other random necessities, like floats and such, they all dressed in swimming suits to leave.

Louis looked at the changing table in Harry’s room, and the diapers beneath it, and sighed. He went to Harry who was patiently—sort of—waiting for his trunks. Louis held them up, and asked, “You think you can go without diapers today, love? Promise not to wet in the water?”

“Aw, but that’s the fun of it!” Niall grinned.

Liam made a face. Of all the times they’d been in water before, he wondered if Niall had ever done that and not said something about it. “Niall. I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t wee in the lake, it’ll kill off all the fish.”

With a dejected nod, but no promise not to, Niall walked away to grab his bag for the car, Liam following.

Harry nodded several quick times at Louis. “I promise, daddy! I won’t, I swear.”

Louis held out his pinky, and stared Harry in the eye. “Pink swear it.”

Giggling, Harry put his pinky in Louis’s, and shook it. “I pink swear I won’t wet, daddy.”

“All right. I trust you. Now, let’s put on these yellow shorts and get you a towel, love. So we can have some fun in the sun, yeah?”

Harry grinned. “Yeah!”

While Louis took care of Harry, Liam and Niall packed up the car with their things. The trunk was big enough for it all, thankfully, because it if wasn’t then somebody would have to stay behind for all of them to fit in the seats.

That was when Liam noticed Zayn hadn’t been seen in a few minutes. He turned towards Niall, who was bent inside resorting things for the cooler. “Hey, Ni? Where’s Zayn at?”

Niall stood up and put his hand over his head to shade it from the sun, and frowned at him. “I think he’s still changing in the bathroom.”

That wasn’t the thought Liam had, but he shrugged and finished loading the car before searching for the fellow brown-eyed band mate. It was a known fact that Zayn hated, or rather really disliked, swimming. It made him nervous. Now that he was in this child state of mind, who knew how he’d react.

The bathroom door was shut, and Liam knew who was inside. He knocked twice, jiggling the knob. “Z? You all right, sweety?”

“Y-yeah! Just changing.”

Liam shrugged and trusted Zayn to come out. After all, he had promised to come, and he kept a promise when he made one. He was worried of course, but sometimes with Zayn bugging him about it just made it worse.

They waited at the door for him, and he came out in blue and white polka doted trunks with a white towel over his arm. Smiling, eyes covered with dark sunglasses, he said, “Let’s go!”

“He seems eager.”

“Yeah,” Louis nodded at Liam. “But wait till we get to the lake. He’ll be…less eager, I’ll just say.”

“Daddy!” Harry whined, pulling Liam’s hair lightly. “Let’s go before Z leaves without us!”

“Don’t pull on my hair, sweetums.”

The car ride was fast. Harry was in the back between Zayn and Niall, while Liam was in the driver’s seat and Louis had claimed the front passenger side. The lake’s parking lot wasn’t too crowded, which they were thankful for because hiding wasn’t going to be fun as it was. They planned on picking a private part of the lake. It was a very big lake, after all. But as it was Wednesday, and 12 in the afternoon, not many were off work or school to be here anyway.

Searching for a spot to be, they found one beside a group of trees. Enough shade and sun, with not too damp grass. It was pretty perfect. And the lake water wasn’t mucky, but clear and bright, and with the wind being normal the waves were calm. A small dock was there, too. A few older folks walked by every now and then, but not a teenager in sight—which was usually how they were found.

Liam and Niall put down towels and everything else, while Louis was pulled on by Harry. “C’mon daddy!” Harry whined. “Let’s get in!”

Louis laughed. “Baby, I hafta get my shoes off first. You as well. And some arm floats, too.”

Once they were shoeless and Harry had on yellow and orange floaties, Harry and Louis ran at the lake.

“Don’t let him fall!” Liam shouted, unfolding a chair.

They all laughed when Louis grabbed Harry around his waist and pretended to toss him in.

After ten minutes or so, all of them were in the lake. All of them, aside from Zayn, who laid on a towel soaking up some sun rays on his stomach. He told Liam he didn’t wana go in yet, Liam had kissed his forehead and told him he could take all the time he needed to get in the water, and Zayn smiled sweetly.

Louis shouted from the shallow part of the lake. “I think the water’s calling your name, Zayn!”

“Z Z, I wana play wit you!” Harry called. He giggled when Niall splashed water at him.

Zayn had hoped that he wouldn’t have to get in. That maybe the water gods would forget about him today and let him just sit on the grass and enjoy the nice day without having to get wet. But in some part of his mind he knew it wouldn’t be that way.

He pushed back a groan and sat up. He’d only just got lessons, and they were basic lessons, too. Even though they were good, Zayn still wasn’t the best at swimming.

“Come on!” Niall called. “Waters warm, and not from me!”

“Have some fun with us, Zayn!” Liam called, tossing a squishy ball to Louis over Harry. They were playing monkey in the middle, Harry was the monkey.

Some courage was found inside of him, and Zayn slowly crept into the water. It wasn’t cold, so he was glad for that. Somehow it made it worse. Soon it was to his waist, but he stayed where his feet touched the soggy watery mud ground.

“You need my floaties?” Harry said, swimming over.

“No! I'm not a baby!”

Somehow, Zayn ended up with Harry trying to climb on him, like Zayn was a mountain—or so Harry had said before putting himself on him—and that ended up with Zayn slipping on the lake floor. He had a mouth full of water, and he was choking and flailing around. Harry was a tangle of arms and limbs surrounding him.

Zayn barely made it to the shore, but he was still coughing up water and trying to catch his breath.

“Zayn! Oh my god, are you okay?” Liam asked. He was swimming over quickly.

Louis grabbed Harry in his arms and held him while he cried, and Zayn heard his name. And Niall followed Liam onto the grass, both of them crouching over him, rubbing his back and pushing his hair from his face.

“Jesus, Zayn. Just breathe, yeah. Let all that water out, too.”

He was trying to, but he was too embarrassed to not freak out and panic more.

In the water, Harry was gripping Louis, arms around him, clinging and crying. Louis held him by his bottom, Harry’s legs crossed behind his back. “Did I huwt bwothew?”

Louis shushed him, kissing his wet cheek. “No, baby, no. Zayn just…sometimes in the water he…he loses his breath.” He looked to see Zayn, who was on his knees with Liam and Niall on either side, murmuring comforting things to him probably. But they all knew Zayn, and knew his fear of the water and he was probably very embarrassed.

It wasn’t surprising when he bolted.

There was a little square building that served as a bathroom. Zayn ran into it. It smelt stale water, but it was better than the smell of piss or something. He was in there for a minute or so, just looking at his reflection. He stared at himself in the shitty mirror, saw his wide black fear blown eyes, and just sighed, and shakily shoved his wet locks out of his face.

“You’re a loser,” he told himself. “A stupid loser.”

“Don’t say that to yourself.”

It was Niall. The blonde who wore green shorts stepped further in, the door shutting behind him, leaving them in the dim lighting with one rectangular window shinning the sun in over the door.

“Niall—”

Niall hugged Zayn. Squeezed him like he was a cute puppy you’d never wana let go. “You’re not a loser. And that wasn’t your fault. Harry just surprised you, is all.”

“I'm not going back in, Ni.”

Niall kept his hands on Zayn’s hips, and smiled at him. “You don’t have to.”

Zayn nodded, and sighed once more. “Harry okay?”

Niall laughed. “He’s fine. Told him you're not the best swimmer and he said that he felt bad for jumping on you.”

Zayn ended up sitting along the edge of the nearby dock, with his feet in the water. Tossing the ball to Harry occasionally, and feet splashing the others and getting splashed back. Harry giggled at Zayn and said how silly he was.

“I'm the silliest!” Zayn screamed. Then he frowned. “No, Niall is silliest!”

Niall threw his hands up. “Damn straight.”

“Language!” Liam chastised, and threw the soft ball right at Niall, smacking him in the ear. The Irishman glared, and declared war. Louis was on Niall’s team, because Liam had the strength of two men, he said.

While that was happening, Harry shyly swam over to Zayn, his eyes bright in the sun and his hair like shining chocolate, and whispered, “I need to go potty.”

Zayn looked at their daddies, and decided he was big enough to take Harry himself. “I’ll take you!”

After the quick bathroom break, Harry held his tummy. “I want snacks now!”

Zany did too, now that Harry mentioned it. So he shouted at their dad’s in the water, “We’re hungry!”

It seemed they all were starving, because suddenly a tsunami was made in the water as the three dad’s bolted as fast as they could in water towards their little area. And sandwiches and chips and juice boxes and water bottles and Gatorade were handed out. Once they were finished, they lay on their towels and rested.

Louis crawled over the line of towels to Harry’s with a bottle of lotion in his hand. “Harry, hon, let’s put more sunscreen on your face. Don’t want it to burn.”

Harry held his face up and let Louis’s gently rub it over his nose and cheeks and his forehead. “’s cold.”

“It’ll keep you from turning red. Sunburns hurt a lot. Wouldn’t want our Hazza to get hurt, would we?” Once he was done, he pulled Harry into his arms and lay with him on his side, and they rested in the perfect hot temperate, shade and laughter of children surrounding them, with birds and dogs barking and chirping.

Niall rolled over and pouted when he saw them both. “How come you get all the hugs, huh? What about me?”

Harry opened his arms and smiled. “Hug!”

Niall grinned, and together he and Louis made a Harry sandwich.

Liam was taking care of Zayn while Louis did his lotion on Harry. The toddler was squirming while it was put on his cheeks, making faces. Liam chuckled at him.

“Feels funny,” Zayn said.

Liam kissed his nose, then put a dab of lotion on it. “Keeps you safe from the sun, love. Wana have a cuddle? You look a bit tired.”

Zayn nodded. Liam patted his side and Zayn snuggled up to it, pressing his face into Liam’s bare shoulder. He curled as close as possible to Liam, and they laid together in the sun.

The five of them went back in the pool, but after a while it was very noticeable that Zayn and Harry were getting tired. Plus the sun was about to go down, and it was getting chilly.

Their car was packed full to leave the lake. Liam had Harry in his arms, with the boy’s face snuggled into his shoulder. He was silent, and sleepy, but he was still wet, with a towel around his body. In his hand was Zayn’s, who trudged alongside Liam yawning and blinking sleepily.

After laying a towel out in the backseat, Liam set Harry down in the corner, leaving Zayn to the side of him on the towel as well, Louis on the other corner. Niall was in the front seat, Liam again driving.

It was on the ride home that Harry slowly but surely moved himself to lie against Zayn’s shoulder. His head was curled into the crook of his neck. Zayn, who was seconds from sleep, secured his arm around the back of Harry’s body, around his waist. A little brotherly affection that they all noticed and awed at.

“Today was the bestest day,” Harry mumbled. He drooled a bit on Zayn, and then fell asleep.

Zayn yawned. “Bestest day ever,” he agreed, and fell asleep on Harry’s head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everybody who left a kudos or comment on this, and bookmarks, too! It was my first work back on ao3 the second time and I'm really glad people enjoyed this :) byyeeeee noww!!


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